CVE-2026-123218 — IBM Aspera Faspex Authorization Bypass

Exploitation evidence

Known exploited · CISA KEV listed

Added 2026-11-09. Ransomware campaign use: Unknown.

CISA required action: Apply mitigations in accordance with vendor instructions, ensuring compliance with CISA’s BOD 26-04 Prioritizing Security Updates Based on Risk (see URL in Notes) guidance and CISA’s “Forensics Triage Requirements” (see URL in Notes). Follow applicable BOD 26-04 guidance for cloud services or discontinue use of the product if mitigations are unavailable. Stakeholders are responsible for evaluating each asset's internet exposure and ensuring adherence to BOD 26-04 patching guidelines.

CISA due date: 2026-11-12. This is the catalog’s deadline, not an assessment of your organization’s exposure.

KEV checked 13 Nov 2026, 00:20 Jerusalem · Original catalog ↗

Reported products and versions

IBM / Aspera Faspex

Default status: unaffected

affected: 5.0.0 to ≤ 5.0.19 (semver)

Fixes and workarounds

IBM strongly recommends addressing the vulnerability now by upgrading: ProductVersionPlatformFix InstructionsIBM Aspera Faspex5.0.19 PL1Linux Please follow the instructions here https://www.ibm.com/docs/en/aspera-faspex/5.0.x . Validate that the faspex-core container image is 5.0.19 (1ce4b13, Fix Pack: 1)

Sources and related reporting

CVE Program record ↗ · Download tracked evidence as JSON

Monitored source mentions

Shared CVE identifiers link source mentions; they do not establish that the reports describe the same incident.

Observed change timeline

History begins when Egret first downloads each source. It is not the complete upstream CVE history.

12 Nov 2026, 18:20 Jerusalem · EPSS observation updated

Stored EPSS snapshot at this observation.

{
  "date": "2026-11-12",
  "epss": 0.00535,
  "percentile": 0.45625
}

10 Nov 2026, 18:20 Jerusalem · EPSS observation updated

Stored EPSS snapshot at this observation.

{
  "date": "2026-11-10",
  "epss": 0.00705,
  "percentile": 0.53668
}

10 Nov 2026, 12:20 Jerusalem · EPSS observation updated

Stored EPSS snapshot at this observation.

{
  "date": "2026-11-09",
  "epss": 0.00396,
  "percentile": 0.34123
}

10 Nov 2026, 12:20 Jerusalem · CVE Program record changed

Stored CNA snapshot at this observation.

{
  "containers": {
    "adp": [
      {
        "metrics": [
          {
            "other": {
              "content": {
                "id": "CVE-2026-123218",
                "options": [
                  {
                    "Exploitation": "active"
                  },
                  {
                    "Automatable": "yes"
                  },
                  {
                    "Technical Impact": "total"
                  }
                ],
                "role": "CISA Coordinator",
                "timestamp": "2026-11-09T00:00:00+00:00",
                "version": "2.0.3"
              },
              "type": "ssvc"
            }
          },
          {
            "other": {
              "content": {
                "dateAdded": "2026-11-09",
                "reference": "https://www.cisa.gov/known-exploited-vulnerabilities-catalog?field_cve=CVE-2026-123218"
              },
              "type": "kev"
            }
          }
        ],
        "providerMetadata": {
          "dateUpdated": "2026-11-10T04:56:17.187Z",
          "orgId": "134c704f-9b21-4f2e-91b3-4a467353bcc0",
          "shortName": "CISA-ADP"
        },
        "references": [
          {
            "tags": [
              "government-resource"
            ],
            "url": "https://www.cisa.gov/known-exploited-vulnerabilities-catalog?field_cve=CVE-2026-123218"
          }
        ],
        "timeline": [
          {
            "lang": "en",
            "time": "2026-11-09T00:00:00.000Z",
            "value": "CVE-2026-123218 added to CISA KEV"
          }
        ],
        "title": "CISA ADP Vulnrichment"
      }
    ],
    "cna": {
      "affected": [
        {
          "defaultStatus": "unaffected",
          "product": "Aspera Faspex",
          "vendor": "IBM",
          "versions": [
            {
              "lessThanOrEqual": "5.0.19",
              "status": "affected",
              "version": "5.0.0",
              "versionType": "semver"
            }
          ]
        }
      ],
      "cpeApplicability": [
        {
          "nodes": [
            {
              "cpeMatch": [
                {
                  "criteria": "cpe:2.3:a:ibm:aspera_faspex:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*",
                  "versionEndIncluding": "5.0.19",
                  "versionStartIncluding": "5.0.0",
                  "vulnerable": true
                }
              ],
              "negate": false,
              "operator": "OR"
            }
          ],
          "operator": "OR"
        }
      ],
      "descriptions": [
        {
          "lang": "en",
          "supportingMedia": [
            {
              "base64": false,
              "type": "text/html",
              "value": "IBM Aspera Faspex 5.0.0 through 5.0.19 could allow an authorized user to craft a specific message to bypass user authorization and gain full administrative privileges.<br>"
            }
          ],
          "value": "IBM Aspera Faspex 5.0.0 through 5.0.19 could allow an authorized user to craft a specific message to bypass user authorization and gain full administrative privileges."
        }
      ],
      "metrics": [
        {
          "cvssV3_1": {
            "attackComplexity": "LOW",
            "attackVector": "NETWORK",
            "availabilityImpact": "HIGH",
            "baseScore": 9.8,
            "baseSeverity": "CRITICAL",
            "confidentialityImpact": "HIGH",
            "integrityImpact": "HIGH",
            "privilegesRequired": "NONE",
            "scope": "UNCHANGED",
            "userInteraction": "NONE",
            "vectorString": "CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H",
            "version": "3.1"
          },
          "format": "CVSS",
          "scenarios": [
            {
              "lang": "en",
              "value": "GENERAL"
            }
          ]
        }
      ],
      "problemTypes": [
        {
          "descriptions": [
            {
              "cweId": "CWE-863",
              "description": "CWE-863",
              "lang": "en",
              "type": "CWE"
            }
          ]
        }
      ],
      "providerMetadata": {
        "dateUpdated": "2026-11-07T03:47:19.566Z",
        "orgId": "9a959283-ebb5-44b6-b705-dcc2bbced522",
        "shortName": "ibm"
      },
      "references": [
        {
          "tags": [
            "vendor-advisory",
            "patch"
          ],
          "url": "https://www.ibm.com/support/pages/node/7295921"
        }
      ],
      "solutions": [
        {
          "lang": "en",
          "supportingMedia": [
            {
              "base64": false,
              "type": "text/html",
              "value": "<p>IBM strongly recommends addressing the vulnerability now by upgrading:</p><div><table><tbody><tr><td><strong>Product</strong></td><td><strong>Version</strong></td><td><strong>Platform</strong></td><td><strong>Fix Instructions</strong></td></tr><tr><td>IBM Aspera Faspex</td><td>5.0.19 PL1</td><td>Linux</td><td><p>Please follow the instructions&nbsp;<a href=\"https://www.ibm.com/docs/en/aspera-faspex/5.0.x?topic=upgrades-patching-container-images\" rel=\"nofollow\">here</a>.</p><p>Validate that the faspex-core container image is&nbsp;5.0.19 (1ce4b13, Fix Pack: 1)</p></td></tr></tbody></table></div>"
            }
          ],
          "value": "IBM strongly recommends addressing the vulnerability now by upgrading:\n\nProductVersionPlatformFix InstructionsIBM Aspera Faspex5.0.19 PL1Linux\n\nPlease follow the instructions  here https://www.ibm.com/docs/en/aspera-faspex/5.0.x .\n\n\n\nValidate that the faspex-core container image is 5.0.19 (1ce4b13, Fix Pack: 1)"
        }
      ],
      "source": {
        "discovery": "UNKNOWN"
      },
      "title": "IBM Aspera Faspex Authorization Bypass"
    }
  },
  "cveMetadata": {
    "assignerOrgId": "9a959283-ebb5-44b6-b705-dcc2bbced522",
    "assignerShortName": "ibm",
    "cveId": "CVE-2026-123218",
    "datePublished": "2026-11-07T03:47:19.566Z",
    "dateReserved": "2026-11-05T18:08:35.127Z",
    "dateUpdated": "2026-11-10T04:56:17.187Z",
    "state": "PUBLISHED"
  },
  "dataType": "CVE_RECORD",
  "dataVersion": "5.2"
}

10 Nov 2026, 06:20 Jerusalem · CISA KEV status changed

Stored KEV snapshot at this observation.

{
  "cveID": "CVE-2026-123218",
  "cwes": [
    "CWE-863"
  ],
  "dateAdded": "2026-11-09",
  "dueDate": "2026-11-12",
  "forensicTriage": "Yes",
  "knownRansomwareCampaignUse": "Unknown",
  "notes": "https://www.ibm.com/support/pages/node/7295921 ; BOD 26-04: https://www.cisa.gov/news-events/directives/bod-26-04-prioritizing-security-updates-based-risk ; Forensics Triage Requirements: https://www.cisa.gov/news-events/directives/bod-26-04-implementation-guidance-prioritizing-security-updates-based-risk ; https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-123218",
  "product": "Aspera Faspex",
  "requiredAction": "Apply mitigations in accordance with vendor instructions, ensuring compliance with CISA’s BOD 26-04 Prioritizing Security Updates Based on Risk (see URL in Notes) guidance and CISA’s “Forensics Triage Requirements” (see URL in Notes). Follow applicable BOD 26-04 guidance for cloud services or discontinue use of the product if mitigations are unavailable. Stakeholders are responsible for evaluating each asset's internet exposure and ensuring adherence to BOD 26-04 patching guidelines.",
  "shortDescription": "IBM Aspera Faspex contains an incorrect authorization vulnerability that could allow an authenticated user to craft a specific message to bypass authorization, causing privilege escalations.",
  "vendorProject": "IBM",
  "vulnerabilityName": "IBM Aspera Faspex Incorrect Authorization Vulnerability"
}